Speaking Conlang to Lovers (was Re: Speaking Conlang To Kids)

On Wed, 7 Feb 2001, jesse stephen bangs wrote:

> Dan Jones sikayal:
>
> > Like my family already knows some Carashán (my most elaborated and usable
> > language). For instance, when I'm irritated or hurt, I tend to shout not an
> > English expletive but Carashán "culón!!!!", which means "arse!". And the
> > boyfriend's used to being called "mea caima", by now (my love)!
> >
> > Dan
>
> I managed to teach my girlfriend how to say "I love you" in Yivríndil,
> which is probably among my greatest conlanging triumphs.  BTW, 'mea' looks
> like a Romance *feminine*, which is being used for your *boy*friend?
>
Much of the development of Diom occurred when my girlfriend was working out
of town for several months. We would write e-mails which included phrases
in Diom, especially as romantic closings. Things like "Ser amilen" (I love
you) and "Ser n'vaevtis les celae" (My heart dwells with you). She picked
up several of the phrases and was able to respond back to me in them,
which was great fun, although her knowledge of Diom remains more passive
understanding than active usage. I was touched she picked any of it up.

I suspect romantic conversation with lovers (or romantic poetry, which I
am not very good at writing) is one of the more common cases where
conlangs are actually used.

David Stokes